Danna first used this blog to share news about her husband Mike's battle with a brain tumor. After Mike's death in July 06, the blog became Danna's place to process grief, reflect on the world, and share thoughts relating to her life and research on media and politics.

8.27.2007

Thank you.

For another amazing night!

This year's Laughtastic Sketch-o-palooza was a huge success. We made almost $1000 in donations alone. And to Mary Lou - who won the 50/50 and then gave her half to the Mike Young fund... Thank you so much. It was great meeting you and I hope we see you again next year.

The crowd was full of friends and strangers alike - people who had driven down from NYC to see us (Thanks MJC!), people who I hadn't seen in a long time (Anne and Michael!) and people who I love so much but hadn't seen since the day Mike died - this includes Mike's surgeon, Dr. David Andrews (who came to the show with his daughter), and Mike's NICU nurses.

Wow, right?

Thanks again to all of the talent who performed for free, to World Cafe Live who gave us a huge break on the cost of the space for the night, to Swivel Studios for the design of the program, and to Disc Makers for the original program design, and for donating the production of the programs...

Thanks Jessie, for helping with sound stuff in a pinch, to Susan for kicking ass getting donations and raffle ticket sales, and to the great Don Montrey, whose tireless committement to jokes he loves is... impressive. Come on, people - you know Mike was laughing at the Hitler joke. It was IRONIC for gosh sakes. Or at least Mike was laughing at your unflappable delivery of the Hitler joke and unaffected stage presence in the face of a... shall we say.... pregnant pause from the crowd? Don - I don't care what anyone says... YOU, my friend, to have large balls.

So much love and so many hugs,danna

PS: The wonderful Annie, who was sitting for Baxter last night, was kind enough to wait to tell me that Baxter was coughing like a crazy man and had a 102 fever before bed. She had it under control and didn't want to freak me out.

So, today I'm missing my faculty meetings and am home with Baxter. Classes start at Delaware tomorrow, so I can't afford to not nip this in the bud now. We went to the pediatrician this morning. He's got bronchitis. The boy is a lil' asthma machine. As soon as he has a cough for more than 2 days, the doctor said I need to start Baxter on a nebulizer machine. Otherwise it undoubtedly WILL turn into an infection and get really tight and horribly wheezy. So... live and learn. In my attempt to not be a crazy overreactive mom, I turned the kid's cough into bronchitis. ahhh... welll...

The kid's in great spirits and is a total goofball.

Ok - he just asked me why the puppet animals on Jack's Big Music Show "...don't have tongues?"

Tongues?

"Yeah. they don't have tongues. Why, mama?"

Then, this morning on our way to the doctor I said, "Baxter, you're my favorite person."

He replied, "I'm not a person, I'm a man."

"Ok, well, then you're my favorite man." and out of curiosity - because I never talk about him being a "man," i asked, "Do you know what makes you a man? I mean, how do you know you are?"

He said in an emphatic tone, 'BECAUSE, mama... I build things. Like Bob the builder."

About Me

Danna, 38, earned her PhD in communication at the University of Pennsylvania and is now on the faculty of the University of Delaware. In July 2006, her talented husband, Mike Young, died after a nine month battle with a brain tumor.

Through the process of his illness and death, Danna found meaning in her own life and strength - in loved ones and in herself. She is the mother to their 9 year old son, Baxter. In May 2009, Danna married the loving and witty PJ Gallagher. In 2010, PJ adopted Baxter (who has called PJ "dad" since 2008), and the couple welcomed baby Edie Eileen Young Gallagher into the world in May 2010.